'Invincibelle Spirit' Hydrangea

The first ever pink Smooth Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

You'll have your gardening friends hanging on your every word when you brag about your 'Invincibelle Spirit,' the first pink Smooth Hydrangea, H. arborescens.  Gargantuan-sized balls of deep pink appear in mid-summer and continue into fall.  The showy blossoms last for months on the shrub, and for years in the vase. 

Like its beloved sister 'Annabelle,' one of the most desirable traits of the Smooth Hydrangea is that the flower buds are produced on new wood, providing multitudes of billowing blossoms right up to the first frost.  Grows 3-4 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide, and prefers shade to part shade.  In full sun, in dry hot weather additional watering will be needed.  Wonderful as a specimen, background for perennial gardens, in the woodland or in mass plantings.  Very easy to grow.

A Sugar Creek Gardens World Exclusive

‘Little Annie’ Coneflower, Echinacea

Out of the prairie of southern Illinois comes 'Little Annie' Coneflower, Echinacea, a creation we may be talking about for years--the tiniest, most floriferous coneflower to date.  Eric Shahlheber of Southernwood Gardens has created a hybrid that only grows 6"-9" in height.  (The height might vary some based on soil, light, fertilizer, etc., but he's grown them consistently at the 6" size -- basal foliage stays 3", with tiny flower stalks only a few inches taller than that.  Did I hear someone say "Perfect for fairy gardens!"???)

'Little Annie's' deep rich pink blossoms are also sterile, meaning they can't produce any viable seeds.  This characteristic creates plants that are blooming machines, giving everything they've got trying to reproduce.  'Little Annie' has proven to be one of the hardest workers of all, creating multitudes of flowers in summer and fall.

Its small stature and prolific blooms makes it perfect for containers, edging gardens, and as focal points in miniature settings. 

Gardening friends, you are only going to find this beauty at Sugar Creek Gardens.  Eric has given us the honor of introducing his baby to the world.  We'll have it for you in 2010, the rest of the world will have to wait until 2011.

Plants will be in limited supply.  For those of you that don't want to miss out, we are now accepting orders for spring 2010.  Read more here.

'Ascot Rainbow’ is one of the most outstanding new plants of the year.  It was selected by the Australian hybridizer for its highly ornamental variegated flowers, which are actually bracts, and foliage, which look fantastic spring through fall.  Narrow, grey-green leaves have a striking yellow edge.  They are topped by clusters of variegated cream, lime, and green flowers and bracts in spring.  In the cooler months, the foliage at the ends of the stems becomes flushed with shades of red, pink, and orange. 

This plant makes a simply gorgeous specimen in a brightly colored patio container and will add inventive flair to the garden.  It is highly heat and drought tolerant.  Grows 20" tall and wide.

Another Supreme Beauty from Master Hybridizer Marietta O'Byrne

'Golden Lotus' Lenten Rose, Helleborus

One of the most beautiful and fascinating Hellebores ever, Marietta O’Byrne has achieved perfection in this double yellow strain.  Large 2-3½ inch, fully double flowers have 15-20 petals per flower, giving them a very full, fluffy appearance.  They range from pale to lemon yellow and some are marked with beautiful burgundy red speckling, shading, or picotee edges.  The backs of the petals may also be shaded with burgundy, which is a lovely touch for these downward facing blossoms.  The Golden Lotus strain is exceptionally vigorous and grows much like ‘Cherry Blossom’, a pink member of the series.  It is absolutely breathtaking when grown in combination with the O’Byrne’s other double hellebores ‘Peppermint Ice’ and ‘Onyx Odyssey’.  Read and see more images here.

'Bloomerang' Everblooming Lilac

Grace your garden with wave after wave of intoxicating scent and luscious blossoms

We were so excited last year when the repeat-blooming lilac 'Josee' made the scene.  Now we're upping the ante with the introduction of 'Bloomerang,' which is the result of a cross between 'Josee' and another lilac -- the result being a compact, fragrant flowering machine.

'Bloomerang' reaches 4' tall and wide, which makes it a good specimen plant or screening plant. It will bloom best in full sun with rich, well-drained soil.  'Bloomerang' produces multitudes of deliciously scented blossoms from spring until frost. 

Pure, luminous white, lavishly petaled blossoms with a delightful, fresh fragrance

THE WORLD'S FIRST DOUBLE PHLOX -- 'TIARA'

From master hybridizer Jan Verschoor comes the very first double white Tall Garden Phlox, P. paniculata hybrid.  The individual flowers of ‘Tiara’ can be either double or single, and the petals unfurl like a rose bud making even the single flowers appear double. Large, sweetly fragrant flower panicles are borne atop relatively short plants from mid to late summer.  This new treasure is ideal for cut flowers because the flower petals are drop resistant, meaning they hold their petals until the entire cluster is spent.  Grows 18-20”, prefers sun to part shade.  For best blooming water and fertilizer well. 

for armloads of

 long-lasting cut flowers

‘Banana Cream’  Shasta Daisy, Leucanthemum

The gardening world was all abuzz when word got out that a cut bouquet of  'Banana Cream's' lemon yellow flowers still looked as fresh and yellow as the day they were cut -- two weeks later!   This plant truly delivers the yellow flowers that other varieties aspire to.  The flowers are lemon yellow when they open, brightening to light butter yellow as they mature.  ‘Banana Cream’ blooms prolifically all summer long atop strong, upright stems.  Great compact mounds of dark green foliage look good all season.  Try planting a few in the landscape or combination containers and you’ll be rewarded with loads of blooms for sunny bouquets.  Grows 2' tall and wide.

Tantalize your senses with 

'Provence'

French Lavender

Lavandula x intermedia

If you’re looking for the most fragrant variety of lavender for making fresh or dried bouquets, lavender wands, potpourri, or for culinary delights, ‘Provence’ is the best!  This selection of French lavender has long stems that are wonderful for cutting and produces narrow, lavender blue flower spikes that are often picked to make tea or lemonade, cookies and cakes, and other sweets.  Its fragrance is intense but sweet, not spicy. 

‘Dancing Queen’

Hosta

Bright yellow foliage

all season

We are thrilled to be able to offer this exceptionally unique large, yellow hosta.  Unlike other yellow hostas which emerge or turn chartreuse, ‘Dancing Queen’ emerges bright yellow and remains yellow all season long.  The large leaves have a prominent pie crust edge, adding even more pizzazz to this colorful hosta.  In mid to late summer, the foliage lightens to soft yellow and the clump is topped with pale lavender flowers.  

For an outstanding contrast of foliage and color, pair it with the ferny 'Burning Heart' Bleeding Heart, Dicentra.   Its wonderful attributes include everblooming vibrant red flowers and lush blue-greens leaves.  Exquisite!  Grows 18" high and 28" wide.   

Longest blooming Epimedium available

Thrives in the toughest spots of dry shade

‘Fire Dragon’ Bishop's Hat

Epimedium

We are reintroducing this fascinating creature due to its remarkable characteristics.  It is longer blooming than any other Epimedium on the market.  The very unusual large flowers dangle well above the interesting foliage, making a wonderful show as they frolic in the wind.  The ethereal blossoms are spectacularly bi-colored yellow and purple.     Reaches 14 inches tall and wide.  Perfect for dry shade, used as a groundcover where other shade lovers won’t cut it.

Very rare and choice

‘Kissho Kan’

Lucky Crown

Century Plant, Agave

This rare dwarf Agave is a popular Japanese selection that is now becoming in high demand from collectors in the US.  Unlike many Agaves which grow to be huge specimens, ‘Kissho Kan’ stays small, eventually growing only about a foot high.  Its smaller size makes it ideal for growing in patio pots and troughs with other succulents.  The plant forms a remarkably symmetrical, round rosette of soft blue-grey to blue-green leaves with clean ivory, toothed margins.  Spines line the margins of each leaf.  The spines emerge yellow, transition to light brown, and then finally age to cinnamon brown.  The thick and rigid leaves are tough as nails, almost plastic-like to the touch, so you can be sure that deer and other pests won’t touch this plant.  Another common name for this plant is Dwarf Variegated Butterfly Agave.  Grows 15" tall and 18" wide.  A tender perennial that makes a great house plant.   

A riot of color

'Fireworks'

Fountain Grass

This striking Pennisetum cultivar was discovered in a batch of P. s. ‘Rubrum,’ the old reliable Purple Fountain Grass that has been cherished for years. 

The new leaves are longitudinally striped with white, green, and burgundy, lending a candy cane-like appearance to the foliage.  In full sun, the green and white stripes become infused with hot pink, turning the entire clump into a glowing mass of hot pink and red foliage. 

Like ‘Rubrum’, large, reddish purple, arching bottlebrush plumes top the clump from midsummer to frost, turning tan as they age.  Only growing 2-3' makes it perfect for container gardening.  It prefers full sun to part shade.

Sugar Creek's Insider Garden Tour

Sat., June 5, 10:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.

We invite you to tour the private gardens of the staff of Sugar Creek to benefit ‘Go Green,’ a joint program of St. Patrick Center and Gateway Greening.   This outstanding effort offers job-training to St. Patrick Center clients. 

A wide range of gardening styles are represented in 6 gardens throughout the Kirkwood, Glendale, and Webster Groves area—as unique and colorful as the Sugar Creek team.  Ticket holders will get to experience the grand, the intimate, the whimsical, and the outrageous gardens that our own employees nurture and love—see how the “professional gardeners” garden!   You will also have the opportunity to enjoy a myriad of varieties that serious plant nerds grow. 

A highlight of the tour will be the City Seeds Urban Farm, located near Union Station in downtown St. Louis.  Tended by St. Patrick Center clients, these urban farmers seek to overcome homelessness, beat drug addiction and cope with mental illness. Mentored by Gateway Greening, the farmers take classes in horticulture while learning hands-on vegetable production and landscape maintenance. As the seasons change, farmers undergo a personal transformation as their experience instills teamwork, responsibility and self-confidence. Food grown is sold at local farmers markets to provide salaries for St. Patrick Center participants and is donated to food pantries.  You will see first hand how gardening can create jobs and change lives.  Tickets $15, $18 day of tour.

To learn more about the St. Patrick Center go here http://stpatrickcenter.org

To learn more about Gateway Greening go here

http://gatewaygreening.org/index.asp

Click on City Seeds to learn more about the program.

Go here to read about all the exciting events and talks we have planned for you.

Visit Sugar Creek Gardens, tell the secret code words to a sales associate and you will receive a FREE GARDEN GIFT.   Limit one per family, one time only per year.  Offer good February 1, 2010-December 24, 2010.

The Secret Codewords are

Echeveria nodulosa

Painted Lady or sometimes know as Mexican Hen and Chicks is a beautifully painted species of succulent Echeveria.  It forms rosettes of olive green leaves that are marked with vivid red coloring on the margins and in the center.  The red markings are so unique, they look almost as if they are hand-drawn with a felt tipped pen.  Much like Hen & Chicks Sempervivum, it forms a central rosette of foliage surrounded by many offsets.  The fleshy, pointed spoon shaped leaves form rosettes up to five inches wide.  The rosettes are borne on naked, branching stems.  In summer, pale yellow flowers with pinkish red markings are produced on up to 2 foot tall, erect, unbranched inflorescences, flower stalks, with bracts colored similarly as the leaves.  Echeveria nodulosa is commonly grown in containers as a temperennial where it is not hardy.  In such cases, the plants will grow as large as the container allows.  Given room, they can grow 1-2 feet tall.  Echeveria prefers sun to part shade, and likes protection from the hot afternoon sun.  It prefers well-drained, alkaline soil and likes to be kept watered in spring and summer.  It should not be watered during the winter.

Take the Guess Work Out

of Plant Selection

For colorful images of plants, descriptions and care instructions visit Reference Guide & Images.  For our listing of plants with sizes and prices visit Plant Price List.

Sugar Creek Gardens • 1011 N. Woodlawn • Kirkwood • Missouri • 63122

314-965-3070 • mailscg@aol.com • www.sugarcreekgardens.com•